What Are Exotic Vegetables and How Are They Used?

A working definition

“Exotic vegetable” is a shop category, not a botanical one. In an Indian grocery context it usually means vegetables and salad produce that arrived through specialist supply chains and are used in continental, café, or hotel cooking more often than in everyday dal-sabzi.

At Continental Gourmet Store that includes avocado, asparagus, baby corn, zucchini, iceberg lettuce, basil, coloured capsicum, and similar items listed on our vegetables page.

How they are typically used

Uses stay close to what the vegetable is good at:

• Avocado — toast, salads, and cold plates
• Asparagus — grilling, blanching, or serving with eggs
• Baby corn and broccoli — stir-fries and mixed platters
• Zucchini — pasta, grills, and baking
• Basil and cherry tomato — Italian-style sauces and salads
• Iceberg and Chinese cabbage — crunch in salads, wraps, and dumplings

Using them in an Indore kitchen

You do not need a full imported pantry. One or two of these vegetables plus a cheese or sauce from the same store is enough for a weekend meal. Shop the live catalogue or come to Old Palasia when you want to pick by hand.